Wild Thing

Animals in War

Marble Arch · 0.6 miles

The Animals in War Memorial is a war memorial, in Hyde Park, London, commemorating the countless animals that have served and died under British military command throughout history. It was designed by English sculptor David Backhouse and unveiled in November 2004 by Anne, Princess Royal.

Burlington Arcade

St. James's · 0.6 miles

A covered shopping arcade stretches for 196 yards between Piccadilly and Burlington Gardens, running parallel to Bond Street in the City of Westminster. Commissioned by George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington, and designed by Samuel Ware, the passage opened on 20 March 1819 on the former side garden of Burlington House. Its original layout comprised a single, top-lit corridor lined with 72 two-storey units, a format that anticipated later European galleries and is recognised as an early example of a modern shopping mall. The arcade lies within the St James’s area and can be reached from either Piccadilly or Bond Street, with the nearby Piccadilly Arcade offering a comparable experience. Since its inception the arcade has maintained a reputation for upscale retail, now hosting around 40 shops that include clothing, footwear, accessories, art and antique dealers, and specialist jewellers in antique silver. Traditional beadles in top hats and frock coats patrol the promenade, enforcing a long-standing ban on singing, humming, whistling and other noisy conduct that dates back to its early days. The Piccadilly façade, enhanced with sculptures by Benjamin Clemens in 1911, adds a decorative touch to the historic interior. Although the arcade has survived fires, wartime damage and a 1964 robbery, it remains a protected landmark where visitors can stroll beneath its glazed roof without an admission charge.

7 July Memorial

City of Westminster · 0.6 miles

The 7 July Memorial is a permanent memorial to the 52 victims of the 7 July 2005 London bombings. It is located on the east side of Hyde Park, between Lover's Walk and Park Lane, close to Curzon Gate and about 150 metres (490 ft) north of the monumental statue of Achilles. A second memorial was dedicated at Tavistock Square in 2018.

Wimbourne House

St. James's · 0.6 miles

A prominent Neo-Palladian townhouse dominates 22 Arlington Street in St James’s, Westminster, its west façade looking out over Green Park. Designed by William Kent, construction began in 1743 and continued after the architect’s death in 1748, reaching completion in early 1754. The building carries a Grade II* designation from Historic England and, according to OpenStreetMap, is recorded as a stately castle-type historic feature. Today the structure forms part of the event-room complex serving the adjoining Ritz Hotel, rather than operating as a public museum. The house originated as the London residence of Prime Minister Henry Pelham, who commissioned Kent at the start of his premiership. Subsequent occupants have included Granville Leveson-Gower, the 2nd Earl Gower, and Prime Minister Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, before passing through the hands of several dukes and barons who each added or altered interiors. Notable 19th-century interventions were carried out by architect Owen Jones for the 7th Duke of Beaufort, and a ballroom was introduced by Ivor Guest, 1st Baron Wimborne. Most later additions were stripped away in the 1970s to restore Kent’s original character. In 2000, Ettwein Bridges Architects created specialised function suites, while Parisian designer Philippe Belloir oversaw interior finishes that echo the building’s historic ceilings, including restored grisaille paintings and Owen Jones’s fish-scale motifs. Access is therefore limited to private events hosted within the Ritz Hotel’s facilities.

The Green Park

Mayfair · 0.6 miles

The green space that lies directly north of Buckingham Palace and is bounded by Constitution Hill, Queen’s Walk and Piccadilly forms a 40-acre park within the City of Westminster. Operated by The Royal Parks and listed as a historic park, it is accessible without steps and lies a short walk from Mayfair. The nearby Green Park Underground station provides step-free access to the Piccadilly, Victoria and Jubilee lines, making the area reachable by public transport. The park consists mainly of mature trees on open turf, with naturalised narcissus providing the only floral planting. Three post-war monuments are set within the grounds: the Canada Memorial, the Diana of the Treetops Fountain near the tube station, and the RAF Bomber Command Memorial at a hard-scaped road apex. In 2016 an acre at the western side was designated the 90th Coronation Meadow, named The Queen’s Meadow, and was planted with seed from historic meadows; a 2017 survey recorded species such as yellow rattle and common poppy. The site contains no lakes, playgrounds or other built structures. Originally part of the Poulteney estate, the area was enclosed in the 17th century by King Charles II, who added a brick wall and an icehouse. Renamed The Green Park in 1746, it later received a landscape design by John Nash in 1820. Historical uses have included ballooning attempts, public firework displays and, in 1840, an assassination attempt on Queen Victoria on Constitution Hill. The park’s heritage listing and step-free facilities make it a straightforward destination for visitors seeking a largely unadorned green corridor in central London.

Lord Byron

City of Westminster · 0.6 miles

A bronze figure of the Romantic poet stands at Hyde Park Corner, accompanied by his Landseer dog Boatswain. Designed by Richard Claude Belt, the statue rests on a marble plinth that was presented by the people of Greece in recognition of Byron’s involvement in the Greek War of Independence. The monument carries a Grade II listing and serves as a memorial to the writer. The poet is shown in a meditative pose, though the likeness has been judged unfavourable and the work is occasionally cited as the “worst statue in London”. Commemoration of Byron proved contentious after his death; a burial in Westminster Abbey was denied by Dean Ireland, and it was not until 1875, when Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli advocated for a tribute, that the memorial was commissioned. Dispute also arose over the extent of Belt’s contribution, prompting a libel action after a Vanity Fair article alleged uncredited work by a junior studio member. The Byron Society proposed relocating the figure from its island on Park Lane into Hyde Park in 2024, and by August 2026 the statue had been installed at its present position within the park. Situated in the City of Westminster, the monument is reachable on foot from the surrounding streets and forms part of the public landscape of Hyde Park Corner.